On My Way
by kflem
Summary: Beca is on her way to her wife and little bird. Bechloe. AU.


On My Way – Bechloe

**A/N: **This may be quite confusing. It is in Beca's P.O.V and she does jump from speaking to Baby Mitchell and Chloe. The parts in italics are memories. To make it a little easier, I'll put down a rough list of when Beca is talking to her child and when she's talking to Chloe, not including the flashbacks of course.

It goes – baby Mitchell, _flashback, _Chloe, _flashback, _baby Mitchell, _flashback,_ Chloe, _flashback, _and final scene.

* * *

I was there for your first ultrasound, and I was there for the first time you kicked in your Mommy's stomach. I wasn't there for the moment when you took your first breath, the moment you first rolled over, the moment you spoke your first word ("Mama" by the way), the moment you got off your knees and took your first steps, but little bird I'm on my way. I'm on my way home.

I have missed many things, videos and photos the only thing I can use to get those moments back, but I'm on my way home. And I'm going to be there for every other moment in your life.

_"Three hours and you'll have your baby in your arms, Mitch," Jacko bumped into my side as he caught up to me in the line. "You ready for that moment?"_

_Jack Taylor went through training with me and we were lucky enough to be in the same platoon. He was a father to two little boys and spent most of his time with them over Skype and phone calls. Jack was there for his first son's birth but missed his second's. In fact, Ryan Taylor was born only three days before my own daughter._

_I nodded, unable to form words. I couldn't wait to get back home. At home was my father and step-monster, at home was my mother and stepfather, at home was the Bella's, at home was my other friends, but most of all, at home was my beautiful wife and gorgeous baby girl._

"_You won't forget it, Mitch, and you can be there for everything else now." He grinned, obviously thinking about his own family waiting at home._

It's been a long three years but I'm finally on my way home and nothing will stop me holding you in my arms. Three years and our only communication has been Skype, phone calls and a few letters. I never stop missing you, but I've learnt to bury that yearning deep inside so it doesn't affect my duties.

I missed so much and it is really my own fault. Isn't it my punishment for joining the Army, leaving you pregnant? But I'm on my way home. I'm on my way back to you.

_I don't remember who brought up kids but we ended up here._

"_Do you want kids?" That was you._

"_I think so, yes." That was me._

_And it was a surprise. I just assumed I wouldn't want any because of how bad my own childhood was, but I realised that maybe kids with you would be absolutely amazing. You wouldn't let me fail them._

_From there we discussed the things most first-time parents think are important. I now know many couples ask the same things we did._

_It was decided, after a month or two, that the egg would be mine. You said you wanted a little, and you meant _little_, boy or girl with my blue eyes and brown hair. I think you were worried I wouldn't come home. I didn't put up a fight. I wanted a child to carry on my genetic lineage and name._

_You told your brother and Aubrey, as they were still your closest friends. I didn't get the wish to want to be that close to your twin but you and Chris made it work. I told Jesse and Fat Amy. Fat Amy just "bagsed" favourite aunt and that was that._

_Chris came to me before he went to you with his idea._

"_I think you should use my DNA," he brought it up when we were getting lunch from the kitchen. You had just left the room. It only highlighted how similar you and he are – no beating around the bush._

_I must have looked at him like he was crazy because he moved into a large, quick, explanation._

"_Chloe and I share DNA, we're quite similar according to our old paediatrician," he looked down at the plate in his hand before locking our gazes, "I want my niece or nephew to be a piece of both her moms. I'd donate anonymously if it was possible for this kind of thing, but my niece or nephew would never have to worry about who she is genetically – she'd be a Beale and a Mitchell genetically, as well as in all the other ways it counts."_

_He made a valid point. But I made him tell you his idea. I have never worried or cared about whether our child was yours genetically or mine. It didn't matter to me. I think we both know how a non-biological parent can be the best parent. I just wanted a family with you._

I'm sorry I made you wait, little bird; I never thought I'd be away for this long. I never thought I'd see you for the first time in a photograph rather than me being the one to cut the cord. I never thought you would know me through photographs and stories rather than memories. I never thought I'd miss so much.

But I'm nearly home.

I hope you know who I am. I told Jack I was scared you'd have no idea but he shut me down pretty quickly. _"You're her Mama, Chloe is you wife and I bet she hasn't stop telling your baby about you since she get pregnant."_ He was pretty stubborn and he made a good point. I know your Grandpa is telling you all about me – he's said so every time we speak – and I know he's happy to have someone to tell the stories of me as a kid.

"_She looks so much like you, Bec."_

_I could hear the pride in my father's voice. He never really understood my reasons to go into the Army, nor could he make any sense of the idea to get pregnant with you when I could be deployed at any moment. Seeing his granddaughter for the first time obviously changed his mind._

"_Is she still healthy? And Chloe, is she okay?" They were most important. I don't know what I would have done if anything happened to my wife or daughter in the seventy-two hours it had been since I'd spoken to them._

_Dad chuckled. "They're fine and home." Then I could her him stumbling over his next few words. "F-f-fat Amy made a mobile with pictures of you all over it. I think she wants to make sure that your daughter knows exactly who her Mama is. I think she'll expect to see little-kid-Beca though because they're the stories I tell her."_

_I knew he was teasing but I couldn't help the biggest grin setting itself up on my face, refusing to leave. All my friends and family had banned together to look after Little Bird._

"_Give Chloe a hug and a kiss, as well as my little bird," I told him softly. "I miss you too, Dad, but I should be out of her within the year."_

I worry you think I put you second place, you and our baby. I worry you think it's all in vain because I haven't been there for any of the milestones so far. I mean, you suffered through 36 hours of labour while I was on duty. I rang you as often as I could but it wasn't the same as if I was there. I'm on my way home now, and I promise to make up for it. I have parts of me missing, waiting for you and our baby to fill them with memories I missed out on.

I have seen you with our little bird and, while we stressed like headless chooks, you are meant to be a mother. And, if not a little selfishly, you are meant to be the mother of my child.

Seeing her auburn coloured hair neatly in her little braids and her grey-blue eyes staring in wonder at the computer screen became my favourite time of the week. She is so small, apparently getting her size from me, but her expressions and the way she looks at life is all you.

For now baby, wait until that first bit of morning light. I'll be home.

"_Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to dear Little Bird, happy birthday to you!"_

_Little Bird was sitting on her Mommy's lap, having absolutely no idea what was going on. She was only just one and I don't remember any child ever knowing what was going on at that age. Actually, I know for a fact that my parents didn't celebrate my birthday or my first Christmas because they knew I would be too young to remember. They made a valid point._

"_How's going over there?" Chloe asked, moving her gaze from our daughter's messy braid to the screen, her bright blue eyes catching my grey ones._

_I shrugged. "You know when you're doing the right thing, in the grand scheme of things, but all you want is to be selfish? It's a bit like that today."_

_It was my daughter's first birthday. To be honest, I just wanted to go home, and I made myself swear I'd be home by her second birthday. I wasn't missing her birthday party. It would be her first one because Aubrey said she could only control herself to not go overboard this time because she knew how much I would despise being away and how much this moment, calling my daughter over Skype for her birthday, meant to me._

_Watching my wife's eyes glisten with unshed tears because I was missing this day, that I was missing so much, made me want to get on the next plane and be home. I didn't want to wait anymore._

"What'd you wish for, Little B?" I heard Aubrey ask my daughter. They must have just done her birthday cake.

The answer was instantaneous. "Mama! Mama! Mama!"

That's my girl.

I saw everyone before they saw me. Aubrey was standing near a little girl with pig tails; Cynthia Rose, Fat Amy and Stacey were together arguing about who got the best present; Jesse and Benji were both talking by the barbeque; Jessica, Denise and Lilly were talking quietly in a corner with a few others; my father was the step-monster, my mother, step-father and Chloe's parents; and Chloe, my beautiful wife was cutting the cake and using Chris to help hand them out.

"Hey baby," I dropped my rucksack and just watched their faces. Chloe's was the most priceless. She just stopped, opened and closed her mouth a few times before she seemed to be able to move.

"Mama! Mama! Mama!"

I could see my father start to tear up behind her, and the step-monster step into his side. My mom jumped into my stepdad's arms. Fat Amy started doing some weird dance with Cynthia and Stacie – they seemed pleased. Chris just grinned, he couldn't stop. And Aubrey, Aubrey grabbed my daughter and was laughing through her tears as she walked my little bird to me.

"Mama! Mama! Mama!"

Chloe launched herself into my arms, refusing to let go, tears pouring out of her and onto my shoulder. I grabbed hold of the squirming girl from Aubrey, finally having the two most important people in my life in my arms.

Chloe sniffled a few times before stepping back and wrapping her arms around Little Bird and me. We didn't need the introduction, we knew who we were to the other, but Chloe seemed to need it. "Iza, this is your Mama," Chloe smiled, "and Bec, this is Elizabeth Rebecca Mitchell, your Little Bird."

Fin.

* * *

**A/N: **And that's this idea finally out of my head. Thanks for reading and don't forget to drop a comment letting me know what you think. kflem.


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